The Difference a Year Can Make

About this time last year, our family had been to Florida, enjoyed a cheap but great vacation to the Disney/Orlando area and Abbey and I were knee-deep in Abbey's Vegan Eats, raising support and awareness for her upcoming Mission Year. I don't even know at this point if she'd received her assignment in Houston, Texas. I only knew in a little over a month, our girl was flying out on that big bird, making her way into the wonderful adventure God had for her.

This side of a year's Journey and next Friday, we will welcome home a very different Sojourner of faith. I wish I could convey to you all the blessed ways in which Abbey has changed. 

She has learned compassion and patience by serving children who live in deep poverty in one of Houston's toughest neighborhoods. She's had the joy of becoming family with people she had never even met last July. 

Because of them and the neighbors that have welcomed them into their lives, she's had a taste of authentic, intentional community and she longs for more...more of God showing up and showing off His Kingdom Love in and through the lives of people committed to serving Him.

As evidenced by Abbey's Vegan Eats, food was already her passion...now it is her rallying cry for the injustice of food deserts and limited, unhealthy choices for those already confined by conventional thought, unfair practices and no means to pull themselves up out of the mire of cheap, traditional American convenience food, that is killing them. She longs to teach others how to live fulfilled, healthy lives, caring for the only temple God gave them...their bodies.

She has still found time to embrace the beautiful and to be creative, but her team and City Directors have helped unleash the inner Artist that has struggled to accept her gifts. Creativity through art, musical theatre, baking and more are necessary survival skills now that she has opened up the toolbox of talent that God had already equipped her with.

Who will come off of that big bird we put her on last year? I'm not exactly sure and I don't know precisely where she's headed next...but I am absolutely certain that with the Holy Spirit as her Guide, it will continue to be the adventure of a lifetime.

We love you Abbey and we long to see your face! (I Thess. 2:17)

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If you'd like to see more photos of Abbey's Mission Year experience, follow her on Instagram.

I Didn't Even Know I Could Ask!?

This may look like "just" some raspberries and very small garlic bulbs. You would be right.

And you would be wrong. It is so much more.

It's essentially a question I've been asking myself:  What have I missed out on because I was too afraid to ask?

I want to say flat-out that I am not a "prosperity" Gospel person. I believe God's Word that the rain falls on the just and the unjust. We will have bad things happen, simply because we exist. There isn't any magical set of hoops we can jump through to get the big house, fancy car, around the world cruise or _____________(insert your wildest dream).

But James told us that "Every good and perfect gift comes from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow." (see James 1:16-17) In other words, God gives good gifts to His children.

If you've journeyed with me for any length of time at all, you know what a gift our new home is. I truly cannot think of one single thing that we needed...or wanted...that God did not provide. My children even tease me that I've developed a "script" of sorts when I give a tour of our new house. When they first mentioned this, I backed off of my exuberance a little...but then realized that the "script" was just the story of what God had done in us, through us, and for us.

One of the last pieces to fall into place was discovering a community garden a mere five houses down from where we live. I had a key within a week of moving in, and 10 tomato plants planted in my new plot by the following week.

Because I've seen how God has put this all together, I have not dared to say, "Oh...and God...if You don't mind...there's one more thing I'd like to have." I kept thinking instead that He has done immeasurably more than I could ask or imagine, so I didn't want to be greedy and ask for something else.

As I've plotted, planned and put in my gardening areas, the one thing I kept thinking was that I would never have space for berries (which are some of my favorites), asparagus or maybe not even a garlic bed. This was neither a request, nor a complaint...just wishful thinking. Obviously, this picture gives away the story.

You see God is so abundantly awesome that He prompted someone several years ago, to plant peach trees, grapes, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, garlic and yes...even asparagus so that one day I could come along, tend to them, and enjoy a little harvest. I'm not sure that words can express the delight, the joy and the amazement at how my Abba orchestrated all of this. 

No one has taken care of these plants in years. It will be my pleasure to do so. A good and perfect gift is worthy of great care and tender cultivation. I would not want to neglect something He so brilliantly grew in anticipation of my arrival in this neighborhood.

Today, as I scurried around looking for a container to carry home the delicious raspberries, my mind kept turning over the wonder and awe of a God who delights in giving us a handful of berries because He knows it will move us to tears at how tenderly merciful He is. I know He was smiling at my joy and basking in the praise I offered Him for knowing me even better than I know myself.

And the verse that just kept circling round and round in my awestruck brain was again from James: "You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your own pleasures." (4:2-3)

What have I been too afraid to ask?

What have I missed because I thought it was too insignificant to ask of my Father?

How do I live so that these gifts are not only "spent" on my pleasures?

What is He anxiously waiting to give me, because He knows I will appreciate it in a way that no one else will?

Why don't I ask Him what He wants me to ask for?

I have some homework. I think you do too. And if you get to a place in your thoughts that you think what you're asking is insignificant, tedious or you could just go out and do it yourself...please come back to this photo.

I mean...really...a God who puts together a few red raspberries to embrace the soul of one of His children. Yeah...I don't think you need to worry about it being too small.

Is it REALLY this easy?

Up front, I will affirm that there are times when I have longed to hear the Voice of the Holy Spirit and have gone many, many weary days and weeks without hearing Him. Today though, I need to give Him praise for when He speaks...clearly. Sometimes, so clearly that I even think "Is it really this easy?"

This morning has been one of those times.

Don't get me wrong...I have done nothing to deserve this. I haven't been diving into Scripture. I haven't worn callouses on my knees and I don't have any magic formula to offer you. I believe He's always calling (see John 12:32) to each of us. Speaking for myself, I am at times more receptive than others. 

Apparently, first thing this morning...I was listening.

I awoke with thoughts of one of my garden beds. It's up against the house and isn't going to get enough sun for the vegetables I've placed there. I've read about reflective light and even used some on my patio garden last year. While I'm contemplating this, I have a "sense" that I should arise and take a walk. 

I am not the most physically fit person you'll ever meet. But when we moved into a more urban setting, I took a cue from Mission Year's practices to start walking. It's difficult to meet your neighbors from your car. I'm calling my early-morning-intentional-prayer-and-devotional-walk, a "Jesus walk". So the sticky note on the kitchen wall is what I leave for the kids on my way out the door.

Today, I didn't head toward the cemetery (see photos on Instagram) for perspective, instead I felt a "nudge" to go a different direction toward Latonia's downtown. I'm walking along, enjoying the morning, conversing with Jesus, hearing the trash truck in the Monday morning background and I pass this...

or I should say "these"...because there were two of them...laying next to a trash can about 1/3 of a mile from our house.

To be honest, I saw...I looked...and I kept walking for a few paces and had that little brain nudge that I don't know how to explain to someone who hasn't had it. But what I heard myself say was "Is it really that easy?" Admittedly, I walked another block and a half trying to convince myself I actually was experiencing God's provision in this fantastic way!

If I've lost you, then back up to what was on my mind when I awoke this morning...reflective light use for my garden. Holy Spirit's promptings were discreet but apparent since I awoke and there...laying in a trash heap...was the answer.

For this to work though, two more things had to fall into place: I had to walk faster back to the house to beat the trash truck from getting them before I could come back with the van, which my husband couldn't have taken yet to go to work. As evidenced by the photo above, both worked out. Dale left a little later than usual, and I passed the garbage truck on my way back home after picking up the two mirrors!

Explaining to my husband what they're to be used for was entertaining for me and probably confusing for him...he's more of a I-need-to-see-it-to-understand-it kind of guy. All of this to say, I have my Pinterest-type project for the next few days.

As soon as I placed these mirrors on the front porch, I heard my thoughts expressing praise to the One who loves to give good gifts to His children, who longs to have us listen as He tells us ''this is the way, walk in it" (see Isaiah 30:21), and who even cares about the most seemingly insignificant details of our heart's desires that He somehow...unexplainably...puts so many pieces of this Giant-Jigsaw-Puzzle-of-Life together to bring a little reflective Light to our home.

I needed to share this with you this morning because I need to reflect His Light. He needs to shine out of me until the people around me see the glory of His Presence all over the place. The verse I've been trying to memorize each morning is appropriately timed for His teaching today, 

"Arise, shine, for your light has come, 

and the glory of the LORD rises upon you." (Isaiah 60:1)

Thanks for hanging out with me through this entire epistle. You see the last thing I heard as I headed down the stairs to start typing this lengthy tribute to my awesome God was "I have to share this or the rocks are going to cry out...and I don't want any rocks speaking for me!" (see Luke 19:40)

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Words of wisdom I'd love to leave with you on this amazing day, if you'll allow me the privilege of speaking into your life? 

Go.

Do your thing that you are passionate about and feel like you have to do.

Take Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, with you.

Listen.

And follow.

Amen.

More Than You Could Ask or Imagine

Sometimes...words are just so inadequate.

I have struggled to wrap my brain around what God has done in the last two months. I have expressed it to friends, discussed it with family and tried to compile feeble praise to an Abba who loves to give sweet surprises to His children. I have witnessed the exuberance of friends who have been on this Journey with us and delighted as their uncontained excitement for us has spilled over onto the walls and floors of our new home. And yet, words have often failed me.

How do you describe a God who patiently walked me through the steps of what I thought we needed to work toward sustainability (at least  a 1 acre farm) toward the reality of where He wanted us (a 0.1 acre urban farm)?

How do you find words for a God who prompted an annoying homeowner to walk down an alleyway at precisely the right moment we exited viewing his home, which "coincidentally" steered us to the next home that I didn't even think we needed to view (and where we now live)?

How do you honor a God that I know (after meeting them) inspired the previous owners to pray for the exact family to come along that would appreciate the home they had lovingly tended for 35 years?

How do you explain a God who gave you every minute detail in a home that you've ever wanted, but were afraid to believe you could have?

How do you thank a God who knew you needed a lawn mower, yard tools, a trimmer, a new queen-sized bed, a shower curtain, space for indoor hydroponics, even stakes to hold up your tomato plants...and had the previous owners leave it all in excellent, clean condition???

How do you give voice to the amazement of a God who kept whispering, "Don't worry that the size of the yard is too small. You never know what may happen. There may be an abandoned lot or other space free up someday?"...only to discover on Monday that there is a community garden less than 1/2 a block from our home, and by Thursday, find someone working in it, which prompts my sweet friend to laugh and say, "Let's go talk to her", and the woman graciously contacts the person in charge who seriously offers you one to one and a half of the plots, hesitantly asks if you're okay with using only organic gardening practices AND ALMOST APOLOGETICALLY ASKS IF YOU'D BE WILLING TO SET OUT ANY ABUNDANCE FOR THE NEIGHBORS TO TAKE FREELY????????

There is, as yet, one single heart's desire that I have to find unfulfilled! My husband and children are pleased with the location, we are excited to become familiar with the bus system, and there is low-income housing down the street that others may fear, but expectantly calls me to serve and Love in the Name of my precious Savior and Abba.

I have attempted and failed to express to those around me all that has happened these last eight weeks. I have apologized for appearing docile while their excitement cannot be contained. It has truly been more emotion than I can absorb. It almost feels like I'm beginning to simply "take it in stride".

I never want to take for granted the precious care my Father provides, but yesterday as we walked back from the community garden, I think my sweet friend summed it up best, 'How could the One who shaped and molded your small heart in His hands not know exactly what you needed and wanted?' 

I guess it was just a matter of time, refining in us, and prompting beautiful people to give up their well-loved home before it could all be played out to His glory and honor.

God, please create the words in my heart and soul that express my joy and delight in You. And when words are not enough, may my life be a reflection of Your grace, a witness of Your love and a steady stream of mercy flowing out into everyone around me. You. Are. Amazing. I am blessed to be Your's! Amen!

We Live In the Saturdays

Yesterday for Good Friday, I saw a lot of Facebook friends posting a very famous quote from an equally famous sermon that Tony Campolo shared many years ago:  "It's Friday, but Sunday's comin'!"

While Campolo is one of my favorite people, this morning something new was impressed upon me that maybe you've already realized, but was profound for me.

We live in the Saturdays.

On Friday, He left. 

On Sunday, He returned.

What did His followers do on Saturday? We aren't told.

I guess we have some advantages over the early disciples. 

• He left, but by the power of the Holy Spirit, we're not alone.
• We know He's coming back. Jesus told them, but it seems they either didn't listen, didn't understand or didn't believe.

So what did they do with their Saturday?

And what will we do with ours?

He's Just TOO Good!

Wow! I don't even know where to begin. 

I do know I have been strangely silent. Houston sort of did me in. 

In a good way.

Then, as we knew the date was drawing near that we could start looking for a house, all sorts of crazy things started happening. 

Number 1, all of these fears that I didn't remember that I had started bubbling up to the surface. Failure, how others see me, people who have treated me as "less than" in my past, uncomfortable conversations with those close to me and stress...lots of stress...all consumed me until I realized I was keeping God at arms length. I was involved as a leader in our study of Jonah at church, but I would wait until the last possible moment to complete the homework in an attempt to fly through it and not absorb much.

But God is faithful.

Almost every page had some word, scripture or author note that would grab me and not let go until I wrestled through it with my Abba. 

While all of this internal stuff was taking place, I experienced what Jonah study author, Priscilla Shirer, calls a "divine intervention". Through two conversations that took place with friends who both have a servant's heart, I learned that the racetrack in our county has 100-150 people that live in 6x6 foot or 12x12 foot concrete block rooms. They live near and work with the horses every day from mid-November to mid-April and then move on to another area track for the summer.

I was undone.

I didn't even have the details yet and I found myself broken and grieving that a place I drive by multiple times a week houses people in conditions that are reminiscent of a Third World country. When I met with the chaplain for the "backsiders", I was blessed to see where God is already working. The day I met Doug I told him that I would definitely attempt to gather a group of people to help at one of his chapel services (which we did in early February), but my "dream" was to throw an "End of Season" party for these people who work insanely difficult jobs in conditions most Americans don't want to acknowledge exists.

That party will take place next Saturday, the 11th!

God is faithful.

Over 120 ladies in our Women's Bible studies are participating in some way. The "coincidences" of how all of this played out have overwhelmed me to the point that I again found myself keeping God at arms length. I told Him...straight up...that I could not do this, but I knew He could. And how He has, was simply more than my heart and mind...even my soul...could take in.

The mornings when I woke up to see 6+ inches of snow on the ground or the wind chill was -20 degrees, all I could think about were this precious people who had been out since 5:30 a.m. grooming, exercising and feeding horses, or mucking out the stables...thrilled to have work and send home a majority of their meager pay to relatives each week. 

How could I even begin to draw up a list of demands for God to meet regarding a home and my timetable for having it? But I did.

And as I jumped through all of these "hoops" and allowed Him to refine and muck out my own life, while attempting to obey His call, I didn't realize that I was writing a contract of sorts with Him. You see, I thought if I let Him do all of His work, and I obediently followed His lead, He would give me my heart's desire.

But God is faithful.

One week, as I wallowed in my lack of understanding and my disappointment that God was not living up to His end of my bargain, I said to a friend, "You might as well grow a plant over me and call me Jonah!" Yes...I was mad. 

Appropriately so, our study that week included Jonah's anger at God and God's question to Jonah pierced Jonah's fury so fully, that the same question smacked me upside the head several thousand years later: "What do you have to be angry about?"

I had some deep soul-searching and surrendering to do.

And God is faithful.

When we finally began looking at houses, I knew our options were limited and having let go of my expectations of God and finally put Him first in the process...He led us to a place that is beyond perfection. It's so perfect for all of us, that I couldn't even have dreamed it up.

That verse...that one that we say all the time, but I'm not sure that we ever really believe...that one that talks about God doing "immeasurably more than all that we can ask or imagine"...I am here to tell you that one is true. It would take two more blog posts of this length, or more, to tell you all of the surprises, graces and struggles that have taken place since the dawn awakened on 2015. Am I surprised that His Spirit prodded me to ask to see His Kingdom this year? I know this is long, but if you want to hear the full story, come visit me on the front porch of our home in a few weeks and we'll have some coffee. Or better yet, join me in my garden. I'm not sure you'll believe me, but the only way I know to sum it up here is...

my God is faithful!

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And just one more thing...I think He wanted to throw the proverbial "cherry on top" last week. When I finished my latest review and looked through the options for my next book, guess what was available and begging for my attention? Yep...a how-to guide for small space gardening. How's that for amazing?

My Co-worker

As I've been making my way through 1 Thessalonians I kept coming across some wording that struck me as odd, yet I'm certain it's intentional in the way that Paul, Silas and Timothy chose to write it.

"and we sent Timothy, our brother and God's fellow worker in the gospel of Christ; to strengthen and encourage you as to your faith." (1 Thessalonians 3:2)

Note what it does and does not say: Timothy is their brother and God's fellow worker. Other versions use "fellowlabourer" (KJV) and "God's man for spreading the Message" (The Message). 

I confess, I don't often think of myself as God's co-worker. I think of other Christians as my fellow labourers. But what if I saw them all as my brothers and sisters only? 

I would probably be more gracious, forgiving and tolerant of the little things that being human crop up and annoy or frustrate us. We're all much more forgiving with family. Usually.

And instead of thinking of trudging along with other flawed humans as my partners...what if I actually believed that God's plans hinged on me showing up for work?

Aside from the obvious problem of getting fired (because God would never fire us), there are people depending on you for your "goods and services". If no one showed up at the local Amazon warehouse, we'd all be doing without a whole lot of stuff.

And what happens when one (or a handful) of people are left to do all of the work while everyone else huddles around the water cooler or breakroom just wasting away the day? In the real world, the "few" would probably be resentful, angry and ready to quit. But just for the sake of argument, let's say they are gracious, absolutely love what they are doing, wouldn't trade their job for the world, and find great personal meaning and fulfillment in what they believe is their calling? 

To be honest, the loyal, hardworking labourer can only carry the dead weight for so long. If we're talking about a multi-billion dollar company that spans every corner of the globe, has about 2 billion employees and only about 2 million of them or less are actually doing any work, that means .1% (0.001 or one-thousandth) of the employees are actively engaged in the job to be done. And since there's the global-potential to reach 7 billion "customers", that is 1 co-worker for every 3500 potential clients. If we were Hunger Games people we would say "the odds are definitely not in your favor." 

Anyone out there with a client-base of 3500 people that they need to introduce to the product, peak their interest, sell them the goods, and then provide life-long customer service if need be? Yet, this is exactly the burden we place upon those who are working in the Kingdom if we even have 2 million workers in the fields. Jesus told us two thousand years ago that "the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few." (see Matthew 9:37, NASB) It seems not much has changed in those two thousand years.

Now, while I've crassly placed salvation and God's plan for all of mankind in the context of business, goods, sales and everyday life, I do so for what I hope has become an extremely obvious point:  We take God's grace and Love for granted.

What employer would allow 90% or more of His workers to fill pews, wax philosophical and armchair-coach-away the problems of the world and how they would solve them "if they only had a chance"? That would be the most gracious, loving, kind and longsuffering employer you would ever have.

But here's the beautiful part: He doesn't consider Himself your employer, He is your fellowlabourer.

He's right there in the trenches with you, cheering you on, delighting in your successes and commiserating in your trials and pain. He meets you around the water cooler when you need to debrief and He discusses the next step and the vision in the "business" plan when He's groomed you and you're ready for the next adventure in your career. And no one could be any prouder when you reach "retirement" and hang up your briefcase. Nothing's changed in the company manual in over 5000 years and it will remain the same long after you've reached your Reward.

So here's the question that is begging to be asked:  When your loved ones gather around for the "retirement roast", what will they say of you? Will they mention your financial portfolio? Will they reminisce about your good intentions and ideas? Will they put a gold-plate on the pew that you warmed? Or will your children "rise up and call you blessed" (see Proverbs 31:28, NASB)? Will there be anyone to shake your hand in the Promised Land and say, 'if it weren't for your work, your labor of love (see 1 Thessalonians 1:3), I would not be here?'

It's time to work. No matter what you think the sacrifice may involve, it pales in comparison to the joy and blessings that will be received. Paul went so far as to say, "for now we really live, if you stand firm in the Lord." (1 Thessalonians 3:8) 

I'm ready to "really live"...aren't you? So let's go back to the Manual and ask our Co-worker to show us the next phase of His personal Vision for us and as Nike reminds us "Just Do It"!

You Never Know What a Little LOVE Will Do

My friend, Jennifer, recently wrote a blog post about how impacting three little words were in her life. I never dreamed how meaningful this would be to Jennifer when I began signing my emails to her this way, I only knew how deeply I had felt them a handful of years earlier.

You see, I had a wonderful Pastor during a deeply dark time in my life that signed his emails this way: You are loved. I admit now that it was a jolt to my disappointed and non-trusting heart. I mean, what man signs his emails to female congregants this way?

A man who every week during his sermons told hundreds of people that they will always be Loved, Accepted, and Forgiven...that's who?

I sat on those three words in the years to come, longing to share them with someone who deeply needed them as much as I had. Jennifer was the first, and then the Holy Spirit reminded me that everyone should know that You are loved.

Letters of "business" or formal information don't receive this sign off from me, but when I feel I know you well enough to receive it with the Spirit in which it is given, I say "good bye" with the precious reminder that was given to me all those years ago.

I'd love to be inside someone's head the first time they see these three words from me. It's interesting to see friends reply with what I am sure are honest and heartfelt phrases like "Love you lots," "Love you too," or just "Love, (insert name here). Sometimes I want to poke my head through the screen and say, "No! It's not I who loves you...well, I do, but that's beside the point...no...You are loved. Because you are loved by the Creator of the Universe and His Son who died for you and His Spirit that resides in you...You are loved."

Do we get this?? I mean really get it?

I pray we do, and Pope Francis reminded me why this morning:  "For if we have received the love which restores meaning to our lives, how can we fail to share it with others?"-- The Joy of the Gospel

There is a "Love Trail" so to speak. There are a lot of tributaries that have flown into my path along the way, helping to fill me up with God's gracious Love until it overflows. But on this little stream, I was blessed to pour life-pumping Love into Jennifer because my Pastor had poured it into me, and someday I hope to meet and thank the ones who poured Love into him.

But ultimately, I know where the Love Trail leads...all the way back to a cross that should have been mine. The steaming blood that cascaded down the splinter-ridden beams has never stopped flowing. Don't be the dam that holds back the reservoir. It was never intended to be contained or controlled. Let the Love overwhelm you and overflow out of you. You just never know what a difference three little words can make.

And by the way...

You are loved.

Angela

"No Need to Say Anything"

This fall, I've been participating in Beth Moore's latest Bible study entitled Children of the Day. The study encompasses First and Second Thessalonians. As per usual for a Beth Moore study, it has been insightful, informative, and has at times left me awed and amazed with wonder at the God who loves us in spite of ourselves.

As much as I've enjoyed the study, there as yet hadn't been anything profound for which I would have wanted to write a post. Moore has pretty much covered all of the important stuff and I prefer to only post about elements in scripture that the Holy Spirit has brought to my attention, outside of Moore's commentary. There has been much to learn, but nothing that had simply "Wowed!" me...

until this week.

Moore had once again (as in the study of James), asked the participants if they are so willing, to take a stab at memorizing both books of the Bible. You can see the huge impact the one small book of James has had on my life by the simple fact that on the right side of this blog, the topical index has 38 posts referenced to James. That's almost more than any other book I have listed. The lingering influence James has had upon me is in large part due to the prompting by Beth Moore to memorize it. I learned that memorizing scripture is not only a great mechanism for giving my brain a much needed workout...it truly makes God's Spirit-breathed Word come alive. I've heard Moore talk of her desire to have scripture be "bone deep". That is what the memorization of James did for me.

This is only the first month of my attempt at memorization, so chapter one of 1 Thessalonians is what I've been working on. Right away I found a few verses to claim for Abbey and her team in Houston. Daily believing and speaking these words on their behalf and inserting their names within this passage has helped alleviate the grief of missing her and inspired me to remember that I too am chosen by God (see verse 4).

But two days ago, as I prayed that these words would become "bone deep", there was another verse that leapt off the page and began stewing in my heart and mind. 

"For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone forth, so that we have no need to say anything." (I Thessalonians 1:8)

Those five underlined words speak volumes...or should...about how I and my fellow Jesus followers are challenged to live. What if?

What if Paul, Silvanus (aka Silas), and Timothy were writing this letter today to the Hebronites, Burlingtonians, Florencians, and Unionites of Northern Kentuckionus? Could they sincerely write:  'For the word of the Lord has been lived out by you, not only in your hometowns, but also in your state, your nation and your world...every single place your beautiful feet have carried the Good News with you...so effectively that, you know what?...we don't need to say another word.'

Dream with me a minute and picture what that would be like:

• Care and involvement in the lives of the poor, the widow and the distressed
• Visiting the sick, the lonely and the imprisoned
• Anointing for healing of the sick and diseased
• Care and cultivation of God's beautiful creation and good stewardship of its limited resources
• Aiding the stranded traveller, the weary soul and the wounded heart

In other words, putting feet, hands, arms, faces and action onto the Gospel (aka Good News) that Jesus left behind for us to follow. 

My brothers and sisters who call yourselves by the Name that is above every other name...followers of the Son of the One true living God...this is precisely the challenge before us. We have the very Holy Spirit of God living in us begging us to put flesh and feet to His Good News. 

In the back of my mind I've always had this lingering thought, 'What if when I see Jesus, He shows me all of the opportunities I missed, the talents I squandered and the people with whom I didn't share His amazing Love? At the end of my days, I used to think I could hear nothing better than "Well done, good and faithful servant!" I'm not so sure now. 

I think the best response I could hope for is "Child...I have no need to say anything."

Grace (Eventually) by Anne Lamott: A Book Review

Anne Lamott just has a way with words. This is my third or fourth time reading her work. I've lost track of exactly how many in the same way you lose count of number of times you've met a dear friend over a great cup of coffee.

If you've never read or even heard of Lamott, I'll caution any ultra-conservatives, she may be an affront to your perception of how a Christian should think, speak and behave. I believe her salvation is just as true as mine though. We may not agree on every theological point but the essentials are non-negotiable: Love the Lord your God with everything in you and Love your neighbor as yourself.

Jesus said these were the two greatest commandments and that everything else could be summed up by them. Lamott's authentic, raw and candid disclosures of her path to live out grace and Love is nothing short of beautiful.

God is working this out in each of us at the pace only He knows best. Lamott makes absolutely no pretense of "having it all together". She doubts, she frets, she stews, she slips and falls, but between the pages of her honest and witty glimpses into her life, you will find grace...eventually.

Tent Day

What is Tent Day? Tent Day is what happens when churches take food, fun and fellowship outside of the church walls and to neighborhoods where people need to experience God's Love. We all need God's Love, but some communities are more receptive to people sharing life with them. Such is the case on Tuesday and Thursday nights in two Northern Kentucky neighborhoods.

CityMerge is a relatively new non-profit whose vision not only includes Tent Day, but meeting real needs for real people. The needs can't fully be known until the relationships are established through consistent involvement in the lives of neighborhood families though. Once the needs are identified (i.e. homework assistance, nutrition classes, or small home repairs for the elderly), the needs can be met by church members, Tent Day volunteers, or local agencies that are already active and funded in the community.

The biggest need that is met by Tent Day is relationship. In poor communities, you don't want to feel like a "project"...you want to know you are loved, valued and a needed part of your neighborhood. Through informal community dinners, games and conversation, neighbors step out of their homes and into each others lives. When you know your neighbors are working together, you know that your contribution can make a difference.

Just as this Gigi's cupcake brings BIG icing to Tent Day...CityMerge's BIG dream involves transformation of lives and neighborhoods on nothing less than a massive scale. But as I've learned over the last year, it all starts with the little things. Obedience, time, listening, discernment, personal study, dedication and love...above all else Love...is what will make lasting change in the lives of those who are marginalized in our society.

But the flip-side of this is that the Tent Day volunteers will most likely be the most transformed! When you invest your own obedience, time, listening, discernment, etc. into the lives of people in your local community who only have their lives and time to give in return, you quickly become the recipient of priceless gifts like honesty, authenticity, joy, fun, conversation, insight, perspective on what really matters, and love...above all else Love.

CityMerge hopes to one day have other Northern Kentucky churches capture the vision and adopt neighborhoods in their own communities. What would happen if every church in Northern Kentucky took one night each week to feed their neighbors and talk with them about what's going on in their homes, schools and neighborhoods? 

Can you see it?

It may turn out to be nothing more than a cut-throat game of Trouble...

or maybe...just maybe...it could become the beautiful Body of Christ that Jesus envisioned His Church could be: On Earth as it is in Heaven!

Ragamuffin- A Movie Review

Although it may not be Oscar-worthy, this movie is inspiring nonetheless. If you've ever had more than just surface conversation with me, you'll know what an impact Brennan Manning and his writings have had on my life. The Ragamuffin Gospel was truth, grace and Love that also spoke to the heart of Rich Mullins, one of contemporary Christian music's greatest gifts.

Mullins was talented, but so are a lot of other people. What set Rich apart was his abhorrence of fame, wealth and his passion to simply live like Jesus. At one point, Mullins specified to his accountant that he only wanted to be paid a salary equivalent to the average wage for an American worker...the rest was donated to churches and charities. The trappings of this world did not entice him. 

Instead, what he passionately sought after was the Love of his Savior. This movie chronicles a broken soul that only wanted to stand in the Presence of his Abba and know that he is loved. This is a message that is timeless, yet desperately needed in our culture today.

Mullins found that Love, he also discovered acceptance for whom he was and forgiveness for the failings of himself and others. I'm not promising miracles if you watch this movie. And although the actors are unknowns, their performances are pretty good for a "Christian" movie (always one of my biggest pet peeves!) But if Christians could continue to produce quality, honest, yet hope-filled movies like these...we just might see some barriers between "us" and "them" miraculously come tumbling down.




**Ragamuffin can currently be seen on Netflix or Amazon**

How To Let Go?

As a 40-something mother of four, I am thankful to a God who once planted into my soul that one of my greatest blessings would be to release our children into His service. I didn't know the how, the when, the where, or the why...I only knew from very nearly the start of the parenting journey that releasing them to His care and provision would always be one of my greatest acts of obedience.

When you're knee-deep in diapers, the throes of homeschooling woes, with the seasons flying by you in a blurry flurry of birthdays, holidays and milestones, sometimes it takes great effort to remember that these little gifts will one day have a mind of their own...and greater still...a path of their own. And then one day you wake up and it's time to start thinking about things like college vs. technical school vs. (dare we say it?) setting aside conventional thought and going straight into the plans God has for your child.

I'm not a parent that was blind-sided by my child's passion to serve Him and live out her giftedness. But if I had been, I guess I'd have to trust His leading and call upon her life. I'm not a parent that fears inner-city ministry. I'm thankful for documentaries, books and compassionate leaders that have opened my eyes to the gifts that people living in deep poverty have to offer to willing learners.

I'm by no means a perfect parent. Although I set aside my fear for her safety long ago, as the days quickly drew nearer for her to fly, the doubts assailed me. But I know I serve a God who laid down His greatest Gift for me, so how could I offer any less for those that need to know His Love and selfishly ask her to stay home?

From the first day that I saw Mission Year mentioned on The Simple Way's website, until the day she boarded that plane to Atlanta, it has been an absolutely beautiful journey to behold. Watching Abbey struggle with fear and overcome her doubts, the sometimes palpable stress of the unknown and using her specific gifts and passions to raise funds...only her Abba could be more proud than her parents have been. Her journey has already inspired many...including her own Mama.

I have repeatedly been awed and inspired by this Millennial Generation that is drawn by the Holy Spirit to abandon what my generation was told would give them comfort and ease. I love the Millennials, their passion, their devotion, their heart for service.

It's funny, when you think about "letting go"...I guess the peace is found in knowing that she was never mine to begin with.

Giving You Your Desires

In the last seven or so years, as I've attempted to live more and more in step with the Holy Spirit I have noticed a "pattern". Now, I would never claim that God is predictable in how He functions or works in the lives of His children. But there are consistencies in His character that we can count on. In fact, inspired by the Holy Spirit, Paul penned the following words to the people of Corinth:

"But as God is faithful, our word to you is not yes and no. For the Son of God, Christ Jesus, who was preached among you by us--by me and Silvanus and Timothy--was not yes and no, but is yes in Him. For as many as are the promises of God, in Him they are yes; therefore also through Him is our Amen to the glory of God through us. Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God, who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge." (2 Corinthians 1:18-22, NASB)

The very last word in that paragraph also means "down payment".

Thus, all of the promises of God because of Jesus are "Yes!" There is no fickle back-and-forth, no trying to guesstimate God's promises. If He said it...because of Jesus...it is Yes. And we have the Holy Spirit in us as our spiritual "down payment" for proof.

How's that for an amazing return on your investment? Even Dave Ramsey can't beat that interest rate!

I'm explaining all of this because the promise the Holy Spirit reminded me of this morning is this one: 

"Delight yourself in the LORD;

And He will give you the desires of your heart." (Psalm 37:4)

I would never tell you that this is a promise for financial prosperity...so kick that American-church-culture-prosperity-gospel-way-of-thinking right out of your head. What is does mean is that as I "delight" myself (aka "take pleasure in drawing closer to") my Abba...His desires become my desires. The things that break His heart (poverty, the downtrodden, injustice, etc.) break mine. And the things that please Him (mercy, grace, Love, reconciliation, etc.) please me.

Are we together so far?

If so, then let me give you an example of how this just played out in my life.

A month or so ago I felt the urge (aka leading) to share with our Community Life Director that as she's putting together a new ministry at our church for young adults, if she ever needed me in a "mentoring" capacity, I would love to get to know some young ladies in this 18-29 age group. I know there are a lot of women in this age bracket who either don't have moms nearby or their mom isn't a Christian or the relationship is so broken between them that they don't have an older woman in their life helping them navigate the waters of growing into adulthood. The Holy Spirit has also shown me that the passion, service and reckless abandon that the millennial generation is demonstrating is something I want to be near and will keep me young if I get to taste a small portion of it.

The Community Life Director was encouraging and said she'd definitely keep me in mind as she gets to know this group of young adults.

Fast forward to two nights ago, when in addition to our friend joining us for our new LifeGroup, the only other people to show up were...you guessed it...a couple who are newly married, in their early to mid 20s and are in the middle of dedicating their lives to the wild abandonment of following Jesus wherever He may lead them. 

I loved talking with them. They were gracious. I got to feed them some homemade guacamole, salsa and chips and after they left, I was hoping they will come back next week.

This morning while reflecting upon the week we have had, the Holy Spirit brought to mind my conversation with our Community Life Director. It puts a smile on my face just to think about it.

He gave me the desire.

I acted upon it.

We followed His leading about starting a LifeGroup (when it made no sense to us).

And the Spirit didn't just send one young adult, He sent two to share our Wednesday nights together.

And I know I will learn more from them than I could ever teach!

Holy Spirit as a down payment on God's promise to give me the desires of my heart? Those are some odds with which I am willing to gamble!

A Few Things I Realized in the Chemo Room

Tuesday, I had the privilege to go with my friend while she received her weekly round of chemo. There were a few things I learned while I was there. You may find them random, or you may find them insightful. I just count myself blessed to have a friend that allowed me the opportunity to see into her world a little more deeply.

Here's what occurred to me:

* We all have poison running through our veins. (see Romans 3:23)

* Some of us look normal, but the poison is still there.

* For some of us, the effects of the poison are a little more obvious.

*We all look around the room to see if there is someone worse off than we are.

* Some of us can still laugh through the pain that the poison causes.

*Some of us try to get work done while the poison tears us down, acting as if nothing has changed.

*Some of us try to sleep it off.

* And some of us are called to be caregivers and healers to the ones that are wiped out from the poison coursing through their veins.

See...we've all been there, in actuality or metaphorically. And we can try and pretend all we want, but we all come into this world ready to rebel, shake our fists at God and try to convince ourselves that He's not in control. 

Then the poison knocks us off our feet.

We're left lurching and reeling, our world spinning out of control. "Someone stop this room from whirling, for pity's sake!" We may try to cover it up for awhile and pretend it's all okay, but the truth is we're flat on our backs and can't run away from the reality of the poison anymore.

Then, there are the healers.

You notice them, because they look different. Their appearance is "set apart" from everyone else in the room. They're patient, kind, diligent, maybe serious or maybe quirky...but they can still function calmly in a room that looks like a bomb went off and dozens of beeps in the background reminding them that even though this patient is almost done with their treatment, there will surely soon be another to take their place.

God bless the healers.

How do I sum this all up and make it neat and tidy? I won't even try to, because I don't think I can. There is nothing tidy about this life and pretending that there is, in my experience, is always the first step toward the slippery slope of despair when things don't "turn out" the way we want them to. The cold, hard reality is that we've all been fed a steady diet of poison since we drew our first breath and only by a divine act of mercy do we wake up to pull out the line that tethers us to the pole of destruction.

Then Jesus transfuses us with His life-saving blood. His Spirit also intersects our healing Journey with some amazing healers along the way and we are forever healed!

I Am Annoyed with Jen Hatmaker

Many, many months ago, my friend shared that she wanted to start a book club using Jen Hatmaker's book, 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess. I signed up without having read the book and smugly knowing that God's Spirit has already been working in me in regards to the prevalent excess of our U.S. culture. I am downright radical compared to many. It's easy to live with less when you have less to live with, right?

I can honestly say that I have not judged anyone or their comments. I am mature enough in my faith to know that we are all in different places in our Journey and I don't believe anyone needs to live out their spiritual life exactly like mine. Thus, my smugness has never been geared toward anyone else, just a tool to make myself feel better. 

And I was quite content.

Until last Monday when I read the chapter on spending.

Somehow, I knew this chapter was going to get touchy for me. I mean, the chapter about media was hard enough, given my addiction to all forms of media, but that is my struggle and I can quickly convince myself that it harms no one else. (Yes, I am greatly deceived!) But spending affects many more than just little ol' me. My comfort and convenience exact a toll on the poor, marginalized and needy in my culture and around the world. This is not a new concept for me and one that God has been refining in me for many years now.

I readily highlighted shareable quotes like, "While it is easy to become paralyzed by the world's suffering and the inequalities created by corruption and greed, we actually hold immense power for change, simply by virtue of our wealth and economic independence."

That's good stuff. This truth is reflected in my desire to buy Fair Trade, spend less and tip big. We sponsor an impoverished family in Ethiopia; help the homeless as much as God allows; buy a lot of organic, sustainable and ethically harvested food; and although recycling in an apartment is very difficult, we attempt to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle as much as possible. I can certainly pat myself on the back at how God has changed and molded me to be more in His image.

But then Hatmaker had to go and mess with a good thing. Almost a week later, I'm still a little annoyed with her to be honest. I mean what do you do with this?

"We don't see the New Testament church hoarding the feast for themselves, gorging, getting fatter and fatter and asking for more; [Amen...preach it Jen!] more Bible studies, [Huh?] more sermons, more programs, classes, [What the?] training, conferences, [Now...hold on one stinkin' minute!] information, more feasting for us."

When I read that, my first thought was: Jen Hatmaker, I don't think I like you right now.

Oh...but she continued to accuse me (or at least the Church, of which I am part) of ceasing to live the Bible and instead "just to study it". She drew some correlations between a buffet and my spiritual life that I won't even repeat here...it is just that crazy! There's also a plethora of my, my, my, my, my's in there that would make any 2 year old toy-fighting tantrum seem downright cute.

So what did I do? Well...I quickly skimmed through to the next section telling myself I'd come back to this disturbing portion when the time was right. Frankly, I got a little angry with this eccentric woman and her little rant about my feasting.

Six days later, and three attempts to read it again and I am still annoyed. How could she be all funny and authentic about her own failings and then start to point out mine? I feel like she set me up. But the truth is...she called me out.

Or rather, the Holy Spirit did. 

And He's not finished.

There's a lesson in all of this, and I'm still sorting out what it is. One thing I know is to stop being smug with myself about how God has changed me. Hah! Just when I think I'm making some progress, He reminds me that humility is always a good thing.

Another thing I just can't shake free of is this question that the Spirit is still formulating in my heart and mind: In the same way that when I spend limited money and resources on my own comfort and pleasure, it leaves less for the underprivileged and marginalized of our world...how does spending my finite energy and time on filling up my own spiritual "tank" keep me from filling up someone else's? Okay, I can't quite figure out the most eloquent way to verbalize this yet, but there it is. 

God's Spirit has already been awakening me to the gifts, talents and the Vision He has for me. He has not brought me through so many trials and so much pain simply for me to hoard the gift of His wisdom and discernment for myself. There are literally billions who do not know this amazing God or His Son, my Savior, nor the power of the Holy Spirit that He jealously desires to have reside inside them. 

How can I keep pulling myself up to the table and not actively extend an offer for them to join me? I still don't know how this will all play out. But I do know that it wouldn't irritate me this much unless the Spirit had a way to work it out in me and through me to share with others.

So thanks a lot Jen Hatmaker [yes, sarcasm is intentional!]. You've sort of messed up my Bible study feasting, and to be honest, I'm not very happy about it. It was much easier to blindly pull up to the table and pour on another heap of self-serving discipleship.

Okay, Holy Spirit...

now what?